To Chance Encounters
by Leap of Faith
Summary: Rushing through the market, she bumped into him. He took her in while she recovered and soon found out that she wasn't going to leave his life as quickly as she had come. Then, one day he disappears without a trace leaving her heart shattered.


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Disclaimer: The Sailor Moon characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi. The Gundam Wing characters belong to – whomever it is that owns them. Any names you don't recognize are mine – obviously.

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Author's Note: Yes, it is the glorious return to the SM/GW fiction world. Be happy? Be sad? Okay, just be impassive.

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To Chance Encounters

By: Ms. Perfect

"Do you want me to tell you something really subversive? Love _is_ everything it's cracked up to be. That's why people are so cynical about it... It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for. And the trouble is, if you don't risk anything, you risk even more." - Erica Jong

*****

She quickly walked, almost running, along the sidewalk; she had to get to the stores before it closed. She hoped that time was on her side as she turned the corner and abruptly slammed into what felt like a train. Before she knew what was happening, she had fallen to the ground and winced as her head hit the hard concrete. Her vision swam as she closed her eyes. Soon, she had succumbed to the blackness of unconsciousness.

Slowly, her eyes opened, blinking quite a few times to adjust to the light. She looked around; she didn't recognize this room. Panic arose. Where was she? How did she get here?

She sat up quickly, then put a hand to her head. She was still dizzy, and a bit nauseous. She didn't have a concussion did she? As she thought about it, she felt someone's hands on her shoulders pushing her back down into the pillows.

"Lie down," the voice behind the hands commanded. And a bit rudely at that.

Goosepimples rose up around her whole body as whoever it was touched her arm slightly with something very cold.

"I'm _pretty_ sure I don't have a concussion," she murmured to herself.

She could almost imagine the person's smile. Almost. Then her head was lifted gently and what she soon realized was an ice pack was put under her head.

She then realized why she had sat up so quickly before.

"Where am I? How'd I get here?"

"You're at my house," the voice said again.

__

Not much of a talker, is he? She thought to herself. She opened her eyes again when her hair was shifted only to see dark eyes, almost cold, staring into her own.

"Who are you?" her mouth formed the words, but her voice didn't respond. She was getting lost in those mysterious eyes.

He tore his gaze from her eyes before turning to leave the room; leaving her question about his identity unanswered.

Before she even knew it, she was asleep again.

She awoke once more around what she guessed to be mid-afternoon. That meant she had slept through the night. Sitting up slowly, she observed her surroundings. The room was about the same size as her own at home, yet this one was painted a dark blue color. There was only a desk, the bed, and a dresser.

She moved to the edge of the bed and put her feet on the floor, still looking around. _What time is it? Who is that guy?_ The questions floated around her head as she got up and walked to the door. Looking down the hall, she saw the only way out was to head right.

Silently, she padded down the hallway and looked up as she entered a large living area.

"Hello?" she called out, none to loudly. He wouldn't have just left her at his house alone, would he? She turned around to head back to the room she had been sleeping in when she bumped into something again; yet this time, she felt someone steady her as she stumbled.

She suddenly realized that her hand was on his chest and pulled it back like it had been shocked. Her faced flushed as she kept her eyes down at her feet.

"What are you doing out of bed?" the voice asked.

She shivered slightly at the sound of his voice. "I – I –"

"Well?" he prompted.

"I woke up and, well, I didn't want to just sit there," she said, finally looking at his face. She took in almost every feature of it from how his hair fell in his face to the way his eyes seemed to bore into her soul to the tiniest of smirks on his thin lips.

Before he could say anything, her stomach grumbled loudly. Color rushed to her cheeks again.

"Um ... you wouldn't happen to have anything to eat?" she asked. He nodded silently before walking around her. Rolling her eyes, she followed him into a tiny kitchen. Silently, she watched as he heated up some water for tea. He motioned for her to sit down and she obliged.

He set a plate of eggs in front of her along with a cup of tea, then took a seat across from her.

"I'm sorry if I'm an inconvenience. I'm sure you must have something better to do—"

He waved her into silence as if to say that he didn't.

She stared at him for a moment before he looked up at her. Then she looked down and began to eat.

When she had finished her third helping, she finally remembered why she had been in such a hurry to get to the store.

His head shot up as she swore abruptly; an eyebrow raised in question.

"Kiki is going to have my head!" she then looked at him. "I'm really sorry, but I have to go. I have just now remembered why I was in such a hurry. Oh, man!"

Now he was totally confused, but his face remained impassive. He watched her jump up, run back to the room he had placed her in the day before, run back out, bow, and then she was gone from his life as quickly as she had entered. Then he stood up and grabbed his coat.

By the time she had gotten outside, she realized she wasn't even in town! She moaned as she collapsed to the ground. _This day couldn't possibly get any worse._

She turned her head when she heard the door open and close again. 

"I figured you'd need a ride," he said monotonously.

She gave him a grateful smile and opened the door to his Jeep. She looked out the window the whole ride into the town. Kiki was going to kill her.

"Where do you need to go?"

She snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of his voice. Then looked out the front window. "Uh, 1422 Oakwood Street."

When they stopped in front of a small house, she jumped out, but before shutting the door, she asked him if he wanted to come inside. He nodded.

She slid her key in and unlocked the door.

"Kiki?" she called.

The sound of running footsteps could be heard coming from behind a door; soon, it flew open.

"Where were you?" she cried, practically tackling her. She had yet to notice the boy.

"Kiki, calm down. I'm okay. I just, for lack of a better word, slammed into this man here yesterday and he took me in while was un – recovering."

Kiki's head snapped up. Then she rushed over to him and took his hands. "Thank you so much! I'm insanely lost without her!"

She blushed. "You are not, Kiki. You can manage just fine on your own."

Kiki rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. You're the brains behind everything. Do you even know what night it is?"

She shook her head. "Uh, should I?"

"It's the Award night!" Kiki said.

She groaned. "I was wrong! This day just got worse. Kiki, I can't go."

"Hello! You have to! You're the one that is getting the award." Kiki replied.

"Yeah, and it also said that I have to bring a date. Where am I going to find a date in _two hours_?" she retorted.

Kiki looked to the man again. "You free tonight?"

"Kiki, no! I've already be a big enough burden to him."

"I'm free," he said again in a monotone voice.

"Would you be willing to escort her?" asked the blacked haired Kiki again.

The girl covered her eyes with her hands, then drug them down her face dramatically. The man found it quite amusing. "You don't have to come, really. I've been such a burden to you already."

"I have nothing better to do tonight." He said. Why was he doing this? She gave him the chance to refuse. So why didn't he?

"I'm sorry you got pulled into this. Kiki's a bit persistent." She said later that night as they sat at the table.

"You apologize a lot." He commented.

"It's in my nature."

"Hey, can I steal you away?" Kiki asked.

She nodded, smiling as she got up and walked to the podium.

"Ladies and gentlemen; welcome! As you all know, I am here to announce the winner of the Ohkawa Award." Kiki motioned for her to come forward. "And it is my pleasure to say that it is my dear friend and associate."

She grinned at Kiki they stood for the picture before she gave her friend a hug.

"First of all, I'd just like to say thanks. A bit cliché, yes, but it's what all the greats have said. You will never know how happy I am to get this award; it's a great honor." She stepped off the stage.

"Never was one for public speaking..." she mumbled as she sat back down.

He looked at her as she mumbled to herself and again questioned why he was here with her. He could have refused. He could be spending a night at his house reading a book or something to that effect.

"Would you like to dance?" she asked.

He considered it for a second. "Sure."

She put her arms around his neck, and he put his on her hips when they got to the dance floor. After a few songs, she laid her head on his shoulder; glad he couldn't see her face turn red.

__

Why is my face flushed? I barely know this man! She thought to herself.

"Thanks for coming tonight. I, surprisingly, had a lot of fun." She told him as they walked down the sidewalk. She had all but begged him to give Kiki the keys to his Jeep so they could walk back to her house; it was such a warm night it was too good to pass up walking home.

He remained silent, but she knew what he thought.

After a few minutes of silence, she broke it again.

"What are you thinking about?"

"How different this night has been from my normal ones." He replied.

She looked at him.

"Don't you have a girlfriend? Or anyone to hang out with?"

"No."

He seemed to be answering both questions.

She looked at the ground, "Sorry."

"Why? What do you have to be sorry for?"

"Well, I – I don't know. It just – seemed like the natural thing to say," she said a bit flustered.

"Sorry, I didn't mean—"

"I know what you meant," she said quietly. "But thanks anyway."

She hummed to herself as they walked along; they were both so lost in their thoughts they almost past her house.

She smiled at him as they stood on her doorstep. "I just wanted to say thanks."

"For what?" he asked.

"Well, for one, you took care of me after I ran into you. And secondly, you came with me tonight. I know you probably just want to get rid of me."

"You seem to know what I want pretty well, don't you?"

Again her face flushed.

"Sor—"

She was cut off when he put his fingers over her mouth.

"Don't say 'sorry'."

His fingers lingered on her soft lips before he took his hand away.

"Sorry," she said again, but this time just for fun.

He snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Are you sure you want to drive all the way to your house? It's a long drive... You could stay here tonight."

He looked at her.

"Think of it as returning a favor?" she said as more of question than statement.

"Returning a favor," he echoed before complying with a nod.

"Well, then _entrée_," she said opening the front door. He walked in as she followed, locking the door behind her.

"You can either sleep on the couch down here, or upstairs. Though I would suggest upstairs. Kiki has the horrible habit of waking up in the middle of the night and ending up on the couch."

"Then my only choice is upstairs," he stated.

She walked up the stairs, leaving her shoes at the door along with her bag. When they got upstairs, she hurried to her room and came back out.

"Here," she said, handing a long t-shirt to him. "It'll be a lot more comfortable then that. I'll go get you a blanket. The couch is in that room right there."

She could have sworn that he smiled slightly, but he turned before she could really tell. She quickly changed into her own tank top and gray sweats before grabbing an extra comforter from her closet.

She rapped on the door quietly before opening it and looking in.

"Ohmygod," she said in a rush as she diverted her eyes to the floor, her face redder than it had ever been before.

He turned quickly when she spoke and pulled the shirt over himself. "You can come in..."

"I'm so sor—"

"Sorry? Yeah, I know," he said.

She pursed her lips and threw the comforter at his head playfully. "Good night," she said as she walked away.

"Go away! Leave me alone!" she mumbled, quite loudly, in her sleep as she tossed and turned.

"Hey, wake up," he said, shaking her shoulder slightly.

"Don't hurt me!" she yelled, sitting up quickly, her breath was fast.

He touched her shoulder again. "Hey."

She jumped in surprise. "What..?"

"Aren't you a little old for nightmares?" he asked, a hint of teasing in his voice.

"It was so real..." she whispered, almost as if he wasn't there again. "I could hear them yelling. It was as if I could feel it..."

"What are you talking about?" he asked in a whisper.

She looked at him, blinked, then turned away. "Its – its nothing... Wait, what are you doing in here?"

Now it was his turn to be a bit flustered. "I heard you from down the hall."

"You did?" she asked.

He nodded.

"Thanks... I think..." she said quietly.

He stood up and walked out of the room, glancing over his shoulder once more before shutting the door. Again he wondered why he cared at all.

She sighed before falling back onto the pillow.

She sat up quickly at the sound of a shrill scream.

__

Kiki!

She flung the covers back quickly and ran down the stairs, bracing herself by placing her hands on either side of the staircase.

"Kiki!" she yelled, flying around the corner into their kitchen.

"What – the – _hell_ – is he – doing – here?" Kiki asked between gasps for breath.

She placed a hand over her heart. "God, you scared the crap out of me, Kiki!"

"What is he doing here!" Kiki screamed.

Finally, she looked at the precarious scene and sighed.

"I didn't want him to have to drive all the way back to his house," she explained.

"You could have at least _told_ me!" Kiki yelled.

"Sor –" she paused, "I didn't think it was such a big deal..."

Kiki sighed. "I guess I am being a bit overdramatic."

"You think?" she said. "Why on earth did you scream anyway?"

"I woke up on the couch and came in here to get some water and, well, there he was. Scared the living hell out of me!" Kiki replied.

She looked to him and he nodded. She hung her head, "I swear, one day you're going to kill me, Kiki."

"Hey," Kiki said, offended.

"Well it's true!" she replied.

As retaliation, Kiki scooped up some flower from the bowl next to her and flung it at her friend.

She gaped in surprise, her whole head covered in the white flower. She turned around to the fridge and grabbed the first thing she could find. Leftover spaghetti. She scooped some of it out and smushed it into Kiki's hair.

He just watched in amazement as the two friends started an all-out war in their kitchen. He ducked as some spaghetti was thrown in his general direction.

"Do you two always do this?" he asked finally.

Both stopped what they were doing, Kiki's head slapping back a little when some pudding hit her cheek.

"No. In fact, I think this was entirely your fault. Wasn't it?" she asked.

Kiki nodded in agreement before they both grabbed something and threw it at him.

He managed to dodge one, but got hit in the face with the other. He backed up into the living room, trying to get away from the girls.

She let out a weird battle cry before tackling him to the ground as Kiki plastered his head with the rest of the spaghetti.

She wiped some of the pudding off her face and rubbed it on his.

"Well, guess this is goodbye." She said.

He nodded again.

"By the way," he said, "what's your name?"

"Usagi ... Tsukino Usagi." She replied.

He nodded again and was gone before she could ask him what his name was.

Later that night, she could get his face out of her head. Why would it go away? She could remember his dark eyes, his hair falling in his face, the smirk that seemed to be plastered on his thin lips when he wasn't frowning.

Who was he?

Finally, she gave up and went to the room where the couch was. She plopped down the couch and wrapped the comforter he had used around herself. It smelled like him. She took a deep breath before opening her eyes again and turning on the TV.

"I'm going to the store. Need anything, Kiki?"

"Nope!" Kiki said from downstairs.

"Okay, see you when I get back!" Usagi replied as she headed out the door, zipping up her jacket. She stopped abruptly. "What are you doing here?"

"I just came by to see you," he replied coolly.

"Well, now you've seen me," she replied in a cold voice.

He looked surprised, so did she. Where did that come from?

"Look," she started. "I told you it was through. Okay? Done with. So why won't you just leave me alone?"

He surprised, and scared, her by pushing her against the door. "Because you are mine."

"Mamoru, please..." she said, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "Just – just leave me alone."

"And what if I don't want to?" Mamoru replied.

She glared at him before jerking her knee up quickly, hitting him squarely where the sun don't shine.

"Then I'll do more than just that to you, Mamoru," she spat as he lay on the ground.

Running towards the store, she watched the people this time. She didn't want to repeat what had happened only a few days earlier.

And, yet, it seemed as if fate was joking around with her.

She went around the corner quickly and bumped into someone. This time she steadied herself before she fell.

"Do you enjoy doing that?" a familiar voice asked.

"Oh for crying out loud," Usagi exclaimed.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry," Usagi said, glancing over her shoulder only to see Mamoru walking threw the throng of people.

"I thought I told you to stop saying 'sorry' to me," he scolded.

Usagi was too busy thinking quickly to hear him. Mamoru was now in front of her.

"Who's this guy, Usagi?" Mamoru asked.

Usagi glanced at her friend, then back at Mamoru. "He's my boyfriend."

He blanched. What was she talking about?

Usagi looked at him with pleading eyes.

Mamoru glared. "What did you say?"

Usagi snatched up his hand, "I said: he's my boyfriend."

"Prove it," Mamoru challenged.

"Why?" Usagi asked.

"Prove it ... and I'll leave you alone."

"Er..." Usagi said. How the hell was she supposed to prove it?

"Okay..." this came from him. He did the first thing he could think of, he kissed her. Usagi's eyes widened before fluttering closed. Then she realized what she was doing and broke it off.

"That proof enough for you, Mamoru?" she asked quietly, looking up at him. As an answer, he turned and walked away in a huff.

"I shouldn't have done that..." he said at the same time as she said:

"Thanks."

"For what?" he asked.

Usagi closed her eyes and sighed heavily. "To make a horrendously long story short: you just saved my butt."

He stared at her, his face masked, but his eyes showing his confusion.

"Mamoru was my boyfriend. When I broke up with him, he freaked. Just before I ran into you, he had come to my house saying that I 'was his'."

He grunted as if he understood. He started to walk away but stopped when she called out to him. He turned around to face her.

"What's your name?" she asked with a small smile.

"Chang Wufei," he replied.

She stuck out her hand. "Thank you very much, Chang Wufei."

As if compelled by some other being, he grasped her hand.

She smiled at him before letting go of his hand. "Goodbye again, Wufei." Then she kissed his cheek and whispered: "To chance encounters..."

Usagi remembered that day like she remembered her name. Sometimes she found herself touching her lips. His kiss had been undeniably amazing and not at all unwanted. Often enough she found herself wondering where he was at that moment.

"Usagi, that's the millionth time you've sighed since that day on the street."

Of course Usagi had told Kiki what happened that day.

"So?"

"I don't believe it!" Kiki suddenly burst out.

Usagi jumped. "Can't believe what?"

"You knew the guy for four days and you went and fell in love with him, didn't you?"

Usagi's face turned red. "No!"

It was such an obvious lie, even to her ears. Kiki snorted before going back to her newspaper article.

"Hey!" Kiki burst out again.

"You're going to cause me to have a heart attack if you keep doing that Kiki," Usagi reprimanded.

"Shut up and listen to this!" Kiki replied. She began to read the newspaper article aloud. "_Identities of Mysterious Gundam Pilots Revealed. It has been officially noted that the identities of the famous Gundam Pilots are not a lie. Sources say that Pilots 01, 02, 03, 04, and 05 are Yui Hiiro, Duo Maxwell, Trowa Barton, Quatre Winner, and Chang Wufei; respectively._"

"What?" Usagi exclaimed.

"There's more. _However, it is with sorrow that I am to inform you readers that the Pilots have all either disappeared or are dead. The ones thought to be dead are Yui Hiiro and Chang Wufei._.." Kiki trailed off.

"Oh my god..." Usagi said, her mind was in shock.

"Usagi, I'm so sorry," Kiki said.

God how she hated that word right now.

Usagi paid very close attention to the news over the next few months. Every time the phone rang, her heart jumped and then plunged back down when it wasn't Wufei on the other line telling her he was alive.

There had hardly been any news about the Pilots except one article saying that the whereabouts of Quatre Winner, Trowa Barton, and Duo Maxwell could be confirmed. But there was no news of Wufei or the other boy, Hiiro.

Usagi stood up and answered the door; she rarely went out anymore. She was too busy paying attention to the news.

"Can I help you?" she asked quietly when she answered the door.

"Are you Tsukino Usagi?" the boy asked.

Usagi nodded.

"I'm Duo Maxwell," he said.

Her head shot up as she looked into cobalt blue eyes.

"Come in."

She closed the door behind him and led him to the living room.

"How do you know who I am?" Usagi finally asked.

"Wu-man told me," Duo replied.

Usagi raised an eyebrow. "'Wu-man'?"

"Yeah, I call him that to annoy him. Anyway, that's beside the point."

"What is the point, Duo?" Usagi asked.

Duo pulled out a piece of paper from his jacket pocket. "Wu-man and I didn't get along most of the time, but then again, I found out about you, didn't I?"

"Before you say anything else," Usagi started. "How did you find out about me?"

"Well," Duo started. "I was bored one day so I went in search of Wu-man to bug...

"'Hey Wu-man,' I said, but not even a growl, he didn't even threaten to cut my braid off with his katana. I tried bugging him even more, but he just wouldn't budge. It was as if he wasn't even listening to me."

Usagi gave him a confused look.

"Finally, I did what comes naturally to me, blurted something random out. I asked him 'What? You got a chick on your mind?' and when he looked up at me, I knew I had finally struck a nerve. So I asked him about it. And, surprisingly enough, he told me.

"He told me about how you had run into him that day by the store, how he took care of you; trust me, that was a huge surprise for me. Normally he doesn't show any emotions. Anyway, what I found funniest was the part of his story when he told me he kissed you. I still don't believe it happened."

Usagi blushed. "Oh, believe me. It happened."

Duo's eyes widened. "Seriously? Whoa, I never knew he had it in him. I could tell that he really cared for you, Usagi. That's what brought me here... you see, during one of the battles, he told me over the radio that if he didn't live through this to take the letter out from under his mattress at Quatre's and deliver it to you. Of course, I tried to tell him that there was no way he'd die, but he yelled at me until I promised."

She took the letter from his hands.

"I don't know what it says, but I hope that it's at least something," Duo said.

Usagi nodded as she flipped the envelope open and pulled out a letter.

"I had better go." Duo said before she started reading.

Usagi looked up at him. "Thank you, Duo."

"It was my pleasure. I'll show myself out," Duo said before he left.

Usagi watched the door close before looking down at the letter in her hand.

__

Usagi,

Before I say anything else, don't you dare say that you are 'sorry.'

Usagi could almost see him smiling at her.

__

I never forgot what you said to me that last day I saw you. "To chance encounters." I never did understand why you said that until it was too late. I think about you everyday, Usagi. And I never thought I would be saying this, but I miss you. I miss the way you laugh, the way you smile, everything.

I thought about that kiss too. I still think it was something I should not have done, and yet, I'm glad I did.

I also know that if you're reading this that Maxwell actually did what he was told for once. And now it's my turn to say that I'm sorry. I'm sorry because I'm not around anymore. I'm sorry that I'll never get to hear your laugh again. I'm sorry that I'll never get to see your face again. But most of all, I'm sorry that I won't get to feel your kiss again.

I will always watch over you, Usagi. Ai shiteru_._

Wufei

Usagi reread the letter three times before fully realizing what it said. Her tears were getting the paper wet, but she didn't care. He loved her and he was supposedly dead! Why did fate have to have such a cruel heart?

A year had gone by since the day Duo had given her Wufei's letter. Two and a half years since she had last seen Wufei. She still thought about him and read the letter every day. It was now worn out from constantly being opened and then refolded again.

She had finally moved on as best that she could with Duo's help. Though she never forgot about Wufei.

"Usagi," Duo said one day while they were having coffee.

"Yeah, Duo?"

Duo sighed, "Usagi, they've stopped looking. They say that it has been long enough; that it's more than likely that his Gundam was blown up..."

Usagi's eyes watered slightly.

"Do you – do you believe that?" she choked out.

"I don't know what to believe, Usagi... Wu-man's a strong guy."

Usagi nodded, biting her lip to keep the tears from falling. "Did they say if they were going to have a funeral or anything like that?"

"Not a funeral, no. But they have already put a grave maker up in memorial to Wu-man and Hiiro," Duo replied.

"Where?"

"Sakura Eyes Graveyard."

Usagi nodded again. A habit she had picked up from Wufei.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Duo."

Before he could protest, she had gotten up and walked out of the coffee shop.

She placed a hand on the grave with Wufei's name and traced it.

"_Ai shiteru_, Wufei..." she whispered. "I'll never, ever forget you..."

"Why'd you have me tell her you were dead?" Duo asked.

Wufei watched Usagi from behind the tree.

"She deserves someone better."

__

She deserves you, Wu-man, Duo thought.

The two boys watched as Usagi walked out of the graveyard, her head hanging slightly.

~~

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Author's note: To sequel or not to sequel, that is the question. I left it like that on purpose; just so you could be annoyed with me and send me death threats. ;)


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